Screw-driver



(No Model-.1 y f T. EDWARDS, J1. 8v J. .LE-DWARDS.

- SCREW DRIVER.

Patntd Sept. 29, 1,896.

UNITED Srl-iras l/ifrnnrr rrrcn.

THOMAS EDVARDSQTR., AND JOHN J. EDVARDS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SCREW-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,341, dated September 29, 1896.

Application filed March 31, 1894. Serial No. 505,806. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we,`TnoMAs EDWARDS, Jr., and JOHN J. EDWARDS, citizens of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvenients in Screw-Drivers; and we do here-` by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to screw-drivers and like tools; and its object is to provide improved'devices for causing the stock or spindle to rotate either to the right or to the left at the will of the operator by reciprocating but without rotating the handle.

A further object is to adapt the tool to be locked, if desired, to form a rigid connection between the stock and the handle, as will be hereinafter described.

The invention; consists, essentially, of a stock provided with non-intersecting or parallel spiral grooves, a reciprocating` handle having an internal spiral groove or grooves, a device of peculiar construction engaging the stock and handle, and a sleeve or its equivalent capable of causing the engaging devices to positively engage the handle and the stock in such manner that the reciprocating motion of the handle maybe transformed into a rotary motion of the stock in either a forward or backward direction, as may be desired.

This invention further consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then pointedout in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, which form a part of this specication, and in which similar letters of reference are used to denote similar parts in each of the several views, Figure l is an elevation of the tool. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the handle, illustrating the positions of the parts when removing a screw. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the position theparts assume for driving a screw. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating the position of the parts when it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of the stock or spindle.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line V V of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken on the line VI VI of Fig.3, looking in the direction of the arrow.

A denotes a chuck of any suitable construction for holding the screw-driver or bit, and

lwhich is attached in any approved manner to the lower end of a stock or spindle B. This stock may be made of metal and is provided at its upper portion with a collar b, rigidly secured thereto, and on the loodjT thereofV with high-pitched spiral grooves b', preferably extending from the chuckA to said collar.4 These grooves extend in 'one direction and consequently do not intersect each other Vat any point. v

or spindle and at its lower end is sufficientlyl Irelieved to. tilt upon its pivot, the said member serving to lock the thimble or nut to the handle or to the stock, according to its position, as will hereinafter appear. The. member elias a portion o5, to which the lmember c ivs'pivoted, as already described, and the circular boss or collar c, preferably formed integrally therewith, both the boss c6 and the portion c5 being provided Withlinwardly-ex- Itending studs or projections o7, which enter the spiral grooves of the stock,- Y The boss or collar o6- of the thimble has-upon the exterior portion thereof projections es, preferably spiral, Aadapted to enter the internal spiral grooves d of the shell or casing. D, which grooves are oppositely arranged to the grooves of the stock or spindle. p

The shell or casing D is `made' of metal and may have an outer covering of wood or other suitable material E, in which casethe shell or casing forms an internal lining, as shown in the drawings, making a light and convenient handle. The casing or shell D is somewhat lower than the covering E, and at the IOO lower portion thereof is cut away at (Z, and is provided near its lower end with a slot d2, so that the thimble may be examined without entirely removing it from the casin g and to allow a sleeve F to partially rotate on the casing, as will be presently described. The casing has also an abutting surface d3, formed by the casing being cut away at d and provided at its lower end with an internal thread (Z4, into which the screw-threaded portion of a cap d5 is adapted to be secured, the said cap serving to rotatably hold the sleeve F upon the casing and between the covering E and said cap.

The sleeve F has upon its interior surface two cam-like projections fand f located, respectively, in the upper and lower portion'ot the sleeve and extending in opposite directions in the plane of rotation of said sleeve. The cut-away portion CZ and the slot d2 of the casin g will allow the sleeve F to rotate about one-quarter of a revolution, the faces of the cam-like projections f and j" preventing further rotation by the abutting of said projections against the portion d and the end of slot cl2. The cam-like projections f and f engage the surface of the member c ot' the nutl or thimble above or below the pivot, according to the way the sleeve is rotated, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In these iigures the sleeve has been turned to the extremeleft, at which time the cam projection f will engage the surface of the member c/ of the thimble below its pivotal point, thus disengaging the tooth or projection cAL from the notch b2 of the stoel; or spindle. rlhe reverse movement of the sleeve will, by means of the cam projection f, throw the tooth c4 of the part o of the thimble C into positive engagement with the notch he'of the stock, thus locking the thimble and spindle together.

In operation, the parts being in a Vposition as shown in Fig. 4C, the cam projection j" of the sleeve will disengage the tooth c4 from the notch ZF of the stock, at which time the upper face of this tooth will abut against the portion d3 of the casin g D, as illustrated, thus preventingthe upward movement of the thimble C or rotation of the same in the casing. By reciprocating or pressing downwardly on the handle the stock B will pass into the handle, as shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time the projections c7 on the thimble engaging the spiral grooves b of the stock will cause the same to rotate according to the arrangement of the spiral, which in the drawings, would be toward the left. Should the parts again be in the position shown in Fig. 4 and the sleeve moved in the opposite direction, the cam projection fwill cause the engagement of the tooth cLl with the notch h2 of the stock, thus locking the thimble and stock together. When the handle is pressed downward, the thilnble C and the stock will pass into the casing D, and, by means of the projections c8 of the thimble C engaging the internal spiral grooves cl of said Casin g, will rotate both the stock and thimble in the opposite direction. y

In using the tool as a rigid screw-driver or the like the sleeve is rotated only so far as will cause the tooth c4 of the thimble C to enter the notch just far enough to permit it to also abut aga-inst the portion (Z3 of the easing D. This will secure the parts together and prevent the rotation or movement oi any ot the parts separately.

It is obvious that either right or left spiral grooves may be used on the stock or in the casing, as desired, or that the casing D may be of such formation as to form a suitable handle, thereby dispensing with the covering E, and that further modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a tool of the character described, a casing having internally arranged spiral grooves, a stock or spindle provided with oppOsitely-arranged spiral grooves thereon, a thimble engaging the grooves of the stock and the casing and having a pivotal member adapted to engage either the stock or said casing, and means for tilting said member of the thimble on its pivot so that said thimble may be locked either to the stock or to the casing, whereby the said stock may be caused to rotate either forward or backward, substantially as described.

2. A tool of the character described, comprising a casing having spirally-arranged grooves therein extending throughout its length, a stock having spiral grooves oppositely arranged to the grooves of the casing, a thimble normally in engagement with the grooves of the stock and the casing and provided with a member adapted to be thrown into or out of engagementwith the casing, and means for actuating said member, whereby the said stock may be caused to rotate when the casing is forced downward, substantially as described.

3. In a tool of the character described, the combination with a casing having spirallyarranged grooves therein extending throughout its length, of a stock or spindle having spiral grooves oppositely arranged to the grooves of the casing, and a thimble comprising two members one of which is normally in engagement with the grooves of the casing and the stock and the other pivotally connected to the first-mentioned member, said pivotal member serving to engage either the stock or a portion oi' the casing, and means for throwing the pivotal member out of or into engagement with the stock so as to prevent or allow movement of the thimble, substantially as described.

4. In a tool of the character described, a casing having internally arranged spiral grooves, a stock or spindle provided with oppositely-arranged spiral grooves thereon, a

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thimble engaging the grooves ofthe stock and the casing and having a pivotal member adapted to engage with leither the stock or said casing, and a sleeve rotatablyT held on the casing and provided with cam-surfaces adapted to throw said pivotal member into or out of engagement with said stock or casing when given a partial rotation, substantially as described.

5. In a tool of the character described, a casing having non-intersecting spirally-arranged grooves therein, a stock or spindle having non-intersectin g spiral grooves thereon, a thimble consisting of two members one pivotally connected to the other, one of said members engaging the grooves of the stock and the grooves of the casing, the pivotal member serving to engage either the stock or a portion of the casing, and means for throwing the pivotal member out of orinto engagement with the stock to prevent or allow movement of the thimble, substantially as described.

6. In a tool of the character described, a casing having internally arranged spiral grooves, a stock having a collar secured to the upper portion thereof and provided with non-intersecting spiral grooves, a thimble comprising two separable members pivotally connected together, one of the members being provided with projections which enter the grooves of the casing and the grooves of the stock, the other member adapted to engage a portion of the stock or the casing, and means for locking the thimble to the stock, substantially as described.

thimble into or out of engagement with the stock, substantially as described.

8. In a tool of the character described, a casin g having non-intersecting spiral grooves internally arranged, a stock having non-intersecting spiral grooves upon the body thereof, a thimble consisting of two parts or members one pivotally connected to the other, one of said members being provided with projections which enter the grooves of the casing and the grooves of the stock, the other member adapted to engage a notch in the stock or a portion of the casing, and a sleeve rotatably held upon the casing and carrying internal cam-like projections which operate one of the members on its pivot and limit the extent of rotation ot' the sleeve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof- We affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

TI-IOS. EDWARDS, JR.

JOHN J. EDWARDS.

Witnesses: i

`JAMES E. MCBRIDE,

JOHN ScHo'rrEY. 

